The stellar visuals and spot-on sound design keep these from being too terribly dull, but clumsy combat and woeful repetition will try your patience.

The disappointing lack of traffic [online] means you'll need at least four competitors on a course to prevent boredom. [Dec 2004, p.123]

It's a shame Artoon didn't have enough faith in the gamer to really let this kitty off the leash. [Feb 2005, p.97]

Luckily, the insipid offline game serves as a training ground for its exciting online counterpart. [Feb 2005, p.86]

It's not baseball. Slugfest is "NFL Blitz" with bats... If you know what you're getting going in, you'll have a blast. [Apr 2003, p.65]

If you're new to Sonic, for 20 bucks you really can't go wrong. [Feb 2005, p.103]

It's more significant for the plot threads it weaves than the gaming innovations ti offers. [Feb 2004, p.92]

If the NPC A.I. were a little more fully realized, CIMA would rank as one of the best GBA games out there. As it stands, it's merely pretty darn good. [Nov 2003, p.90]

The game expertly blends physical—mostly platforming—challenges with cerebral puzzles and, in the process, keeps players guessing throughout.

We struggle with MXU's collision problems, floatiness while jumping, and the decision to scrap "MX Superfly's" stunt track editor. These work to frustrate and unfortunately take things down a bit. [Apr 2004, p.93]

The schizophrenia works, but just barely, because the game does nothing particularly brilliantly. [Jan 2004, p.72]

None of the game's various segments is better than the source material that inspired it.

A feature-lite driving simulator that neither offends nor excels in any particular area of design, and one that doesn't elicit a sense of excitement, rather a feeling of déjà vu.

Though nostalgia hounds will likely be amused, others will probably want more depth from the best beat-em-up 1985 had to offer. [Dec 2003, p.104]

The nice thing about Fullmetal Alchemist that you don't always get in a licensed game... is that the gameplay actually seems inspired by and drawn from the source material, rather than simply being generic with some recognizable characters plugged in. [Feb 2005, p.106]

As a third-person space shooter, Galactica barely holds its own. [Jan 2004, p.64]

A decent example of the genre and has some creative design, but it won't blow any minds or win many awards.

It's suitably goofy, but with a little bit of heart and a good bit of homage. [Dec 2003, p.82]

Though the nostalgia of playing wears off quickly, for only 20 bucks, you really can't go wrong. [Dec 2004, p.104]

If only the battle system were as imaginative as the character creation, Magic Pengel would be one of those quirky and lovable games everyone looks back upon fondly. As it stands, it's just quirky. [June 2003, p.69]

With a less-frustrating difficulty level, revamped weapons system, and a graphical look that wasn't so...dull, Transmission could have been very good. [June 2003, p.72]

At times, the game's saccharine sensibilities make the challenges, though very real, hard to swallow.

As fun to run through once as any of them. [May 2004, p.95]

What it lacks in substance, it makes up for in brilliance, and while we're averse to rewarding style over substance, in this case, we can't really deny the game's addictive appeal. [Feb 2003, p.73]

While the monster creation is excellent, the minigames feel more rudimentary. [Sept 2004, p.93]

Just don't expect anything new. [Oct 2004, p.102]

Every bit as good as the movie upon which it is based, and no better. [July 2003, p.78]

Should have been the next glorious chapter in that game's story. Instead, it's a mildly disappointing epilogue.